Adventures of the Demi-Fiend
by Kriegcast
Summary: A series of crossover one-shots with everyone's favorite world-ending teenage demon, the Demi-Fiend. Some humor, some romance, some action. Really a little of everything. Rated T but may go up.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

Well, maybe taunting the being who had granted him his powers was not the best choice, but in his defense, the old man was asking for it. I mean, 'Louisa Ferre'? Both obvious and corny. And why look like a teenage girl? What was the point. Lucifer didn't even really _do_ anything in that world; he just showed up a few times and spouted off more of his cryptic gibberish.

Still, timing could have been better. It was during another of those strategy meetings the old man held every few decades or so. Bringing up his little gender-bending jaunt through Antarctica (with pictures) was bad enough, but Beelzebub was _definitely_ laughing and Mara was...wriggling? Or whatever Mara did that passed for laughter while in that form.

One reality-shattering spell later and Lucifer was tossing him head first into the vast depths of the Amala Network. Was the look on the old man's face worth it? Hell yes. Pun intended. However, staring out at a multitude of shifting corridors leading to what he guessed were portals to other worlds made him think he had overdone it a bit.

Some phrase involving hindsight came to mind. Whatever. The old man would bring him back when he was needed. Until then, he had time to kill. Demon immortality and all that. And if push came to shove, he could probably rip open a path through Amala Network and use that to meet back up with the others. The old man probably thought this would be a good way to keep him out from underfoot (and away from any further blackmail material).

Whatever the case, he focused his energies and woke Masakados from its slumber. Although he was strong on his own, it made things simpler when he used his magatama in combat. He had actually wrangled the method of creating dormant 'blank' magatama out of Lucifer but had no real need to create any. The benefits of Masakados were so great that he had actually consumed the other 24 magatama long ago with no regrets.

It was the perfect way to increase his strength and master the skills inherent to each magatama, but the taste...eugh. The results were interesting. Being able to call upon a multitude of skills was vastly superior compared to how he was during the Conception, but the sheer number of weaknesses, strengths, and immunities had altered his body. Masakados originally could repel anything but Almighty spells like Megido, but since his body modification, he could only void the other elements. And Megido still burns like nothing else.

Sighing as he remembered Lucifer's reaction to that little stunt, he turned and started walking down a random corridor. He could have some fun with these other worlds while the old man sulked and tried to recover his dignity. The Harlot had mentioned that it took several millenia before he got over is first unsuccessful rebellion. Hopefully, it wouldn't take that long for him to get over a little harmless fun.

It might be a while before Lucifer would call him back. Staring out at the multiple doors lining each corridor, he grinned. Well, at least this would alleviate his boredom.

A/N:

Yep, here's another one. I actually plan on making this a series of stand-alone one shots. I will be hitting multiple crossovers, some more than once, and not in any particular order. Generally, these will involve our teenager-turned-demon spouting cryptic comments, trolling heroes, and being a pest. Sort of like Fate/Stay Night's Zelretch only younger and with less facial hair.


	2. Irony Part 1

Irony, 1

He wondered if the Great Will was keeping an eye on him. Not for any good reasons, of course, but out of general principle. After all, being caught up in a rush of Magatsuhi and sent straight through a portal to another world was not his plan for today. _His_ plan was to try and find the door to that world where the old man was cross-dressing as some teenage girl.

Whatever, the situation he found himself in was definitely not one he would have picked, given the choice. Being summoned by some idiot Gaean cultist was bad enough, but group kept summoning more and more demons. At least Hikawa had the sense to keep his supernatural activities out of the public eye.

These idiots let themselves get put in the news! Enough was enough. He had tried being patient, hoping they would provide some amusement or maybe figure out what he was. For some reason, they all assumed he was just some obscure demon from the Warring States era. He was a little insulted; the very markings on his body warned others of the presence of the Demi-Fiend.

And now they were trying to initiate an early Conception. Hikawa managed it in Tokyo due to the Earth's leylines that ran through the city. These idiots thought they could start it by being in a place where death had been felt often. An abandoned hospital where serial murders took place? Creepy, but not full of mystical energy necessary to initiate a Conception.

And in New York City? Not a single damned leyline within 20 miles. Nope. He wasn't going to play anymore. He was going to wipe out this little cult, then go back to the Amala Network. No more nice Demi-Fiend. And the other demons the cultists had summoned? He was taking their Magatsuhi and leaving their empty shells to rot.

Seeing the Reasons of a new Conception would have been interesting, but this? What a waste of his time.

KC:ADF

Fury sent them out to investigate a series of murders. Not normally a job for the Avengers, but when witnesses say that the murderers are monstrous creatures, Fury gets worked up. The last thing anyone needed was another alien invasion.

So Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, and the rest of the Avengers, had been sent to the scene of the most murders; an old dilapidated hospital scheduled for demolition in a few months. Nothing was visible from the air; just an empty building. And a few splatters of dark liquid on the windows of the ground floor. Great.

The team quickly rushed the doors, entering the main lobby. Stark spotted a few piles of skin, bones, and...horns. What, were they wearing animal horns or something? Captain America signaled them to run silent for now and they all listened to distant screams and mindless babbling. They followed a trail of broken corpses, some identifiable as human, but others not so obvious. The humans looked like they had gone a round with the Hulk.

By the main stairwell leading down to the basement level where the morgue and labs were, they saw another human body. This one was still alive, although the baseball-sized holes in his chest and arms meant he was not long for the world. The man looked up at the city's famous heroes and grinned, red staining his teeth. "You...can do nothing... _Avengers_." He spat the last word and a glob of blood on the ground. "The Conception...will come. He has...foreseen it."

Hawkeye and Banner crouched down, trying to keep the man alive at least a little longer. He waved them off with a sneer. "It was not...our plan...but our deaths...will bring...about...the end." His body was shutting down; his lungs, or what was left of them, were filling up with fluid.

"My...sacrifice...is...worthy...in...the...Demi...Fiend's...eyes...and...that...is...enough..." With those last words echoing in their ears, the man finally breathed his last and expired. Not knowing what to expect, the heroes started cautiously down the stairs. None of them had heard of this Conception, or Demi-Fiend but it sounded a little too much like the end of the world for comfort.

At basement level, more bodies greeted them, along with a strange red glow that permeated the walls and floor itself. At the entrance to the morgue, they steeled themselves and opened the door. A young man, or what looked like a young man, stood facing them. Red eyes glanced at them briefly, but his attention was on the corpse of a middle-aged man in an ornate robe. A glowing sword still pierced his forehead, illuminating the lock of shock and awe on his face.

The young man spoke down to the corpse, his tone a mixture of frustration and sarcasm. "What irony, that I was born through one Conception, and yet here I am preventing another. Old man Lucifer would be amused."

He turned his attention to the Avengers, and for the first time, Stark noticed the odd black and green tattoos covering his body and the rather obvious horn extending from his nape. The young man smirked at them. "Are you these Avengers I've heard so much about? Interesting." He bowed flippantly. "The Demi-Fiend, at your service. And you had better be grateful; I did just save your precious city, and quite possibly the world."

When the young man, the Demi-Fiend, smiled, he showed fangs. He casually grasped the glowing sword by the hilt and clenched his hand. The sword shattered and disappeared, leaving him almost hidden in the shadows of the morgue, with only the glowing red walls and floor to illuminate his face and reflect in his glowing red eyes.

Sometimes, Stark thought to himself, it just didn't pay to get up in morning.


	3. Inevitability Part 1

Inevitability, 1

To all Guardians:

Intelligence reports have noted a large and rapid decrease in Fallen forces centered in and around the Cosmodrome. Fallen activity elsewhere on Earth has rapidly shifted towards the manufacture of heavy weapon ordinance. Reports from lunar scouts have seen Fallen forces evacuating bunkers and hardened outposts; they are all pulling out. Predictions are that Fallen lunar troops will head towards Earth to reinforce forces planetside.

Note: a separate mission has been approved to sabotage the lunar reinforcements before they can support Earth forces.

Furthermore, Hive forces attempting to establish a beachhead location near the Cosmodrome have started fortifying positions around downed Hive ships and subway tunnels. New patrol routes aimed at clearing out the tunnels are being plotted out accordingly. Unfortunately, no further information on exactly how Hive troops are receiving reinforcements have been discovered.

Lastly, scouts have reported seeing both Vex and Cabal probes entering Earth's atmosphere. Most have been shot down by security jumpships, but it is estimated that some managed to survive both security forces and re-entry. This is a new tactic that has not been employed by either the Vex or Cabal.

Mission objectives:

1\. Investigate the reduction in Fallen activity in and around the Cosmodrome.

2\. Scout out potential locations for Hive outposts and attempt to connect them with the main security grid in that area. Ghosts are to patch in links to the City and to Rasputin, who is still in communication with the City mainframe.

3\. Seek out and analyze any Vex or Cabal probes if possible. At last report, there were three Vex probes and five Cabal probes in the area. Some may already have been destroyed by Hive or Fallen forces, but any new information is valuable.

Addendum from the Speaker:

There are some reports of an unidentified Guardian lurking about the Cosmodrome. No communication has been established and the Guardian's appearance does not match any records from the City. Witnesses have seen a young Human or Awoken male with green and black tattoos, wearing gray trousers and nothing more. Reports indicate that he does not use conventional weaponry, instead using physical blows like Titans, oddly-colored projectiles like those used by Warlocks, and a large glowing sword similar to Hunters.

Due to this, there is no way to determine what type of Guardian he is. Also of note is the fact that no Ghost has been witnessed assisting this mysterious Guardian. I would like any Guardians to try and make contact with this man, so long as it does not interfere with the mission. There is no proof, but he may have something to do with the unusual changes in activity seen by the Fallen, Hive, Vex, and Cabal. They may know something we don't.

KC: ADF

The mission description was rather ominous. The Vanguards sent it out 48 hours ago, and in that time, no one had fully completed the mission. Guardians were still hunting Fallen around the Cosmodrome, but no one had reported back from forays into and beneath the facility itself.

Eventually the guilds got involved, sending larger parties into the Cosmodrome. When a full 72 hours had passed and no one had returned from beneath the facility. A perimeter was established around all known entrances and the Vanguards met with their highest-ranked Guardians. Three volunteers, one from each Vanguard's forces, was selected to use an emergency access hatch that ran from the subway system into the bowels of the Cosmodrome.

Exo Titan 5T3L, nicknamed Steel, was considered by most to be the closest thing to a walking, jumping tank. Human Hunter Lyn, short for Lyndis, was their best stealth operative and close combat expert. Awoken Warlock Xoran, was considered by all to be the best combat-oriented Warlock in the Vanguard forces. He had focused his efforts on manipulating the dark energy used in Warlock combat to such an extend that he could stand up to a Hive Wizard in one-on-one combat using dark energy alone.

These three were the best of the best, the pinnacle of the Vanguard forces. They understood the danger of this mission and the risks. But the Vanguard needed to know what happened to the missing Guardians beneath the Cosmodrome, and if anyone could find out and come back alive, it would be these three soldiers.

KC:ADF

Elsewhere, amid the shattered remnants of yet another Hive incursion, a young man coughed and spit out another mouthful of dust. "This is why I hate dealing with you corpses; cleanup sucks." The Hive Wizard he was speaking to did not respond. The Wizard could be forgiven for that, since it was split vertically from top to bottom and not in a position to argue with the man who killed it.

Turning away from the latest interruption, the young man walked calmly back through the depths of the lair of the Machine God. He didn't know the construct's name, or rather, he didn't really care. But, when padded with Fallen equipment webbing in the right places, the empty shell of the broken orb really did make a nice recliner.

Intellectually, he knew that the waves of human forces from that City of theirs were running into trouble from the Hive invaders, but he really couldn't care. Every time he collapsed a tunnel, the space zombies just dug out another one. It was pointless, really. Every time the City sent another squad or three of hapless toy soldiers, the space zombies just swarmed over them from the tunnels.

He probably could have helped by turning on some lights or blocking off some of the passageways. He probably could have just stepped in and put the corpses down for good, saving the Guardians. However, every time he looked out to that City, to the so-called Traveler, he just snarled and spit at the thing.

The moment he stepped into this world, he knew, deep down in his core that something was wrong. The Conception for this world, that time when Earth would be transformed into the Vortex World and the Reasons would emerge, it had been sabotaged. And he had an idea about who did it.

That damned Traveler, that silent, fractured orb floating above the last Human City. He knew what it was. What it's purpose had been. And from what he learned from scavenging the corpses of the City Guardians, he guessed just who that Speaker really was as well.

And when the aliens descended on humanity and they cried out for a savior, the Traveler answered. Ha! If they only knew the truth. The Conception had stalled, the scales tilted too far, and the universe supplied the counterweight.

He had kept a low profile, making a little home for himself in this facility. The alien bugs were not exactly happy with their new neighbor, but he brought a lovely present and they practically died from the shock. Well, they did die actually. Apparently, the Javelin Rain was more effective against the cannon fodder than he thought.

Overkill was one thing, but he had been forced to wade through piles of scrap metal from their flying robots and bits and pieces from the ones with only two arms. The bigger ones each got a sudden case of Freikugel in the head, but their Machine God? That was just for fun.

His definition of fun was taking a flying leap with demon sword in hand with the intent of stabbing a giant, floating orb. Sadly, the thing teleported away at the last second, leaving him face-first on the ground. Taking offense at the thing for trying to _get away,_ he just gave up and fired off a few rounds of Megido.

The shots didn't burn the machine like they did him, but apparently something got knocked loose and it fell to the ground where he started taking a little revenge for that earlier embarrassment.

A noise drew him out of his fond memories of the former occupants of his home. Another wave of moon zombies? Yet more toy soldiers he could spook? Or even a spy from the space robots or the space rhinos? Whatever, this was a good way to kill time and make that annoying meddler sweat a bit. When he finally bothered to get up to that City, well...it would be fun to beat up Kagatsuchi again, even if it wasn't the one from his world.


	4. Get Off My Planet Part 1

Get Off My Planet, 1

It had finally happened: the Reapers had come. Despite all her warnings, despite all the evidence, no one had believed her. So when they arrived, no one was prepared. Damn them all for not listening.

And so now she and a few others slowly fought their way to clear a path to the Normandy. Beset on all sides by husks of all kinds, bombarded from the air by hulking Reaper ships, Shepard and her squads crawled slowly forward, cutting down scores of the enemy yet never making a dent in the horde charging their position.

They knew who she was. She had defied them three times now, and they wanted to crush her all the more because of it. Maybe she could have made different choices, maybe she could have something gotten them more proof but none of that mattered now. All that was left was to get to the ship and find some way to fight back. It had taken a fleet of the Citadel force's best warships to destroy Sovereign, and now here she was facing down a fleet of Sovereign-class capital ships with small arms.

Might as well be pop guns, for all the good it would do her.

So, feeling this overwhelming doubt and fear, it was no surprise that she would falter, just for a moment. Whatever else, she was still only human. Later, if there was a later, she would berate herself for losing her composure, for wanting to just break down and cry, regardless of the consequences.

At that moment, when her strength was failing, the assault rifle so hard to lift and aim with a steady hand, she heard a voice shouting, _screaming,_ _ **roaring**_ out above the explosions and the screams of the dying and the groans of the husks.

" _ **MEGIDO!**_ "

KC:ADF

Landing in a war zone? Hmm, bit more exciting than waking up in a hospital. Landing in an alien invasion war zone? Pure adrenaline.

The aliens, some sort of weird creatures in blue, grey, and black, had no real tactics; they just bum-rushed the nearest human and tore him or her to shreds. A laser blast from the sky made him smile a bit. An invasion wouldn't be complete without spaceships, right?

But those ships, they weren't just targeting human troops. They were targeting buildings, civilians, not even caring if their own forces were hit. His smile turned into a frown. These tactics disgusted him, even on a basic level. As a demon, he had no mercy for the weak. But at the same time, pointless violence did not amuse him.

 _Chiaki would already be Baal Avatar and raring to go on these fools_.

Having appeared in an abandoned alleyway, no one had noticed him yet. Feeling like that should change, he quickly scaled a skyscraper. Leaping high into the air and gripping the concrete and metal supports, his bare hands made small craters in the material. Landing on a rooftop close to one of the big alien ships, he went through his options.

 _Too far away still for Freikugel. Gaea Rage is useless on anything in the air. Javelin Rain is more for large groups. Megido it is, then._

He raised his arms, palms up. Six basketball-sized orbs of fire and light took shape. He thrust his hands forward, palms now facing the alien vessel. He shouted out his attack, letting everyone around know that you do **not** ignore the Demi-Fiend.

" _ **MEGIDO!**_ "

KC:ADF

Everyone stopped as the voice cried out. Even the husks paused in their mad charge to raise their heads to the sky. Everyone saw as small spheres of light flew towards one of the Reaper ships. Many of the humans thought they were just some sort of explosive ordnance, a rocket or RPG of some sort. They could only shake their heads sadly, knowing the futility of such an attack.

That changed when the orbs impacted on the Reaper's hull. They cratered, digging into the frame slightly and melting away the metal that withstood the heat and energy of an entire human fleet with little results. Then the orbs exploded.

A series of six explosions ripped across the surface of the ship, staggering it as it tried to remain aloft despite the significant damage it had just received. The ship listed slightly, moving closer to a nearby skyscraper as it tried to process the weapon it had been attacked by. Sensors zeroed in on a humanoid figure on the building rooftop.

Appearing quite similar to a human male in late adolescence, energy scans indicated it was not even close to human. The ship began sending information to it's brethren, all the while drifting closer to the creature. Suddenly, the anomaly reared its head back, then unleashed... _something_...from its mouth.

A lance of energy drilled deep into the Reaper's shell, causing massive damage and leading the multiple system failures. Just like the first assault, this one too ignored the Reaper's fortified shields to strike at its heart.

Feeling the end approaching, the Reaper pushed all remaining power to the forward weapons arrays. Whatever this thing was, it would not survive this.

KC:ADF

Shepard watched as the Reaper belched fire and smoke as it slowly crashed to the ground. A battery of lasers fired directly at a nearby rooftop, likely killing whoever had fired those explosives and that laser. _Whatever they used, we need to salvage it._

Ordering her squads to make for the skyscraper, a shout from a sniper had her turn sharply. "Ma'am! There's someone coming down from the building."

She frowned. "Well, give them cover while they get down to ground level. We'll try and-" "Ma'am, I mean they're jumping, and I don't see a parachute."

She stared at the sniper, his words incomprehensible. "Jumping?!"

KC:ADF

He impacted the ground with a harsh _thump_ , causing a deep crater. He stared up at the other ships as they all began turning to face his position. "Heh, that stirred up the hornet's nest." The shrieking of the alien ground forces grew louder as he climbed out of his crater. Seems like every single one of them in a large radius was gunning straight for him.

"Good. It'd be boring unless you all came at me at once!" He shouted as he cast Javelin Rain, unleashing a series of energy blasts from his fingertips that flew into the air, then slammed down on the first wave of enemies.

He called up Heat Wave in each hand and stood tall, waiting for the next wave to get close. A large, hulking monstrosity bellowed as it charged straight for him. "Come on!" He yelled as he rushed to meet it.

KC:ADF

Shepard pushed forward, firing steadily at the mass of husks converging on a single location. Their attention was on whoever had jumped off a skyscraper after taking down a Reaper on foot. The husks almost completely ignored her, so focused on a what looked like a pile of human husks.

Suddenly a voice, muffled by the pile of husks, roared. "Get off me!" The pile _exploded,_ husks flying in the air, their bodies filled with fist-sized holes. A figure stood up, cracking his neck as he looked over the remnants of his attack.

Covered in glowing tattoos, wearing only a ragged pair of pants, and sporting a horn on his nape, was a young man. Their eyes met, Shepard's green eyes stared into inhuman red orbs with slitted pupils.

"What are you looking at, human?"

What?


	5. A Rude Awakening Part 1

A Rude Awakening, 1

His mind stirred, feeling the presence of great power invade his resting place. Two large objects entered the waters, each foreign to his senses. Both were alive, although one was made of crystal and the other of wood.

He had slept beneath the lake for centuries, passively absorbing the trace amounts of Magatsuhi every world produced. He had just wanted to take a nap. The reason he was tired was simple; the past three worlds he had visited were _insane_.

KC:ADF

First there was that weird world with both humans and demons. Not too unusual, but the demons were…disturbing, to say the least. They called themselves shikima, and they preyed on young female humans. Again, not exactly ground-breaking, but they didn't just eat the humans. They molested them. With tentacles.

He took one long look at the big shikima fighting a teenager with purple hair and ripped open a path back to the Amala Network. He had gotten used to Mara, but never really felt comfortable getting too close. And Hikawa and his Ahriman…ewww.

KC:ADF

The next world looked alright at first. He landed on a cliff overlooking a vast expanse of mountains and valleys. Below him were a multitude of natural springs, with bamboo poles shooting up like a forest. Picturesque, except for the three humans speaking in loud voices, one in Chinese, the other two in Japanese. Suddenly, the two Japanese humans leaped up onto the bamboo poles, beginning a mock fight while balancing on the poles.

The younger human, a teenage boy with black hair in a pigtail, knocked the older heavy-set man into a pool. A brief surge of energy later and a Chinese panda leaped out to land balanced on one of the poles. The panda retaliated, swiping at the boy and sending him down into another pool.

A stacked red-haired teenage girl broke the surface of the pool. Her hair was in a pigtail. No. No way. That was what got him tossed into the Amala Network in the first place. What would the old man do if his newest general came back a gender-bender?

He turned around and cut open a path to the Network with his Heat Wave sword.

KC:ADF

The third world he traveled to before his vacation beneath the lake was the final straw. He didn't spend much time there. In fact, it only took him about 2 minutes before he literally punched a hole in reality and dove for the familiarity of the Amala Network.

Now, one might ask what could cause the Demi-Fiend to break open a hole in the dimension and flee in panic. The answer was both simple and complex. He had forced himself through the portal this time, breaking through with difficulty, like something was fighting to keep him back.

Imagine his surprise when he literally burst out from the forehead of a rather boring-looking child, landing in an undignified jumble of limbs in front of a pink-haired girl with golden eyes. He picked himself up, looking at the boy's forehead and the slowly fading red mark.

"No more. I've had enough." He didn't shout. In fact, he spoke very quietly. He ignored the shocked humans and walked a short distance to an open space. Then, he _punched_.

KC:ADF

He found a quiet world that was still in the feudal era. No tentacle monsters, no gender-bending springs, just ordinary Japan. The mountainous regions of Okayama were beautiful and were a marked contrast to his origins in Tokyo and the Vortex World to follow.

He wandered the mountains and valleys until he found a small shrine nestled in the mountainside above a small lake. He sought out the Magatsuhi flows and was pleasantly surprised to realize that no other demon or spirit was inhabiting this particular area.

Many of the traditional Japanese spirits and youkai settled around particular geographic regions, especially shrines. There was some sort of tree spirit, but it barely noticed him and did not attempt contact. He descended to the bottom of the lake and fused his physical shell with the lake bed.

In his home world, many of the ancient Japanese kami had done this, anchoring themselves to the physical world and relying on the prayers and worship of humans to provide them energy. He was not limited like them. He had been been created and shaped by the Vortex World. He could passively consume the Magatsuhi generated by humanity.

As his consciousness faded into dormancy, only his horn remained manifested, hidden among the rocks at the bottom and serving as his link to the physical realm. It pulsed softly with the presence of a new magatama, which would absorb the Magatsuhi and natural energies of his resting place.

KC:ADF

Now he was awake once more, although he had not yet decided if he should manifest himself or return to dormancy. It wasn't like he had anything better to do. The magatama he had produced was still young, not yet ready to bond with a human host. However, he could already feel its power.

This was not his world, where magatama were formed amid conflict and war. This was an isolated place, and his presence had kept away most of the more malignant spirits from disturbing the area. His new magatama was not full of rage or hate. It felt calm, spiritual, and had a predilection for healing and the improvement of self.

His introspection was interrupted when another entity descended to the lake bottom. This one was humanoid, although it held great power. The crystalline mass had coalesced into an egg-like shape, and this new humanoid creature made it's way to where the egg had come to rest; right next to his horn.

The creature hesitated, then picked up both the egg and his horn from the lake bottom. His spirit was not damaged by the removal, although the link was stretched somewhat. His awareness followed his physical icon as it was carried first into a home on the lake shore, then later up to the mountain shrine he had noticed all those years ago.

The tree spirit was awake now, and certainly more aware than when he first arrived. It, she, seemed curious about him, but did not interrupt his efforts to remain in contact with his icon. As time went by and no further changes came, he drifted back into slumber, with the awareness that his icon was being held in a place of honor in the shrine. The arrival of a large vessel made of metal sparked mild curiosity, but nothing more.

It was the arrival of another energy that awoke him fully. Full of destructive impulses and cruelty, it seemed to appear in his territory with no regard to his presence. Foolish, even the crystal ship/furry creature and the alien tree sapling were aware of him, at least in a vague manner. The tree spirit did not commune with him, although she did make him aware of a link between herself, the shrine keeper, his blood relative, and the humanoid companion of the furry creature.

Whatever the case, this unwelcome guest had moved straight to confront the mortals living by the lake. Strange energies were released, not at all related to Magatsuhi. He emerged from the shrine, a body forming around his horn. It was not his true form, as that would take too much time, but it should be more than enough to drive off the invader.

He leaped down the mountain side, landing without a sound before the unwelcome guest. He ignored the mortals who had been living so close, having learned enough of their energies to pick out his enemy easily. Silver hair, slit eyes, and floating in an energy sphere. Very classic for an evil villain.

He walked forward calmly to stand before the man. "I am the Hito-Shura, and this is my land. Who are you to enter these grounds uninvited?"

The man frowned in annoyance, unfamiliar with this tattooed young man or the unusual power he exuded. "I am Kagato, and you are in my way."


	6. Get Off My Planet Part 2

Get Off My Planet, 2

He stared at the human, watching calmly as she took in his tattoos, his horn, and his glowing eyes. She hadn't started running in fear, which was a good sign. The fact that she had stopped firing her weapons at the gathering aliens was more annoying. Considering just how many of these crazed aliens were charging at them, she could try pulling her own weight.

He was in no danger, but the sheer number of enemies would slow him down; he had places to be. This little excursion was supposed to be a relaxing break from the usual worlds, but his damnable luck held true. Of course, for the Demi-Fiend, a massive hostile invasion _was_ considered a vacation.

The human was still frozen. Shock, perhaps? Or awe? He hoped it wasn't reverence. You phase into existence with a flare of Magatsuhi _once_ and suddenly an entire village is worshiping you as a god. Not really his thing. He had quickly left that village when the prayers and sacrifices got too boring. Wonder whatever happened to that place?

KC:ADF

Amid the myriad realities in which the Demi-Fiend had visited, a small village in southeast Asia is famous in the archeological community for it's unusual religion, centralized on a tattooed male deity that descended from the heavens for a brief time, before disappearing as abruptly as he appeared. The tribe carved intricate figurines in his image and tattooed themselves to honor him.

This religious figure was unique in that similar images appeared in multiple Asian cultures, usually as a portent of the end of the world. That such a mythological figure would appear in an isolated village and not be related whatsoever to all other portrayals stumped archeologists, including the world-renowned Dr. Gina Diggers and Dr. Indiana Jones, who ended up in a shouting match while debating various theories on the disparity between versions of the tattooed deity.

KC:ADF

Shepard kept trying to jump-start her brain. He called her 'human' as if he was not. True, his appearance and abilities were unique, but her rational mind found ways to justify the anomalies.

His tattoos could be a form of sub-dermal implants, which could also partially explain his abilities. She automatically classified the wounds on the husks as biotic in nature, though she had never heard of a human biotic with such power or control. The orbs of fire could be some sort of supercharged Incinerate projectile, perhaps from a prototype launcher.

Even his horn could be part of an interface or experimental biotic amplifier, although, once again, she was not aware of the existence of such things. Her amp was experimental even by Cerberus' standards, and she knew the capabilities of the most powerful hand-held launcher, the Cain, and that fired shaped nuclear warheads!

Having explained away his unusual abilities, she turned and snapped her assault rifle up to her shoulder, firing a burst into the nearest husk. Whatever mental issues this person had, he was in possession of advanced technology that could take down a Sovereign-class warship and fight off a horde of human-type husks single-handed.

She relayed the information through her helmet comms, knowing the information would eventually make its way to System Alliance Command, Hackett, and Anderson. The overall message was simple enough: This man is a priority asset. Do not let him fall into enemy hands, no matter the cost.

That last part went against her preferred protocols, but the thought of this man's abilities in the hands of the Reapers, perhaps to upgrade their husks, was chilling. The nearest group of husks was still a distance away, so she turned her attention back to the mystery man. He looked back with a combination of annoyance and amusement, as if he could see the gears turning in her head.

"Well? Are you finished talking to your little friends?" His voice was rough and had an odd accent. He stared into her eyes without blinking, even as he threw out a hand and orange bolts lanced out, arcing gently before shooting down to punch through a distant pack of human husks. The abrupt attack had her flinching, but she quickly recovered her composure.

"Yes, they are no doubt preparing an extraction team for you immediately. My team was heading to our ship when we saw your attack; very impressive. Can I ask your name, sir?" He smiled at her words, although it looked more like a feral grin. "You can call me Naoki, for now. How about I escort you to your ship? The blue zombies seem to like you, so I'll have more fun tagging along with you."

She sputtered at his words. "Impossible, Mr. Naoki. We will move to a defensive position and await an evac unit for you. Whatever biotics or tech you used, we cannot let it fall into Reaper hands." His mouth twitched for a moment, then his grin got wider. "You say you were heading for your ship, correct? The hangar being that building over there?" He pointed over to a damaged building from which groups of Alliance marines were fending off a steadily increasing number of husks.

She nodded slowly, not certain what his point was but not liking that grin. He snapped his fingers and a flurry of explosions erupted, clearing out a path to the hangar. "No offense, soldier girl, but I think I want to go look at the shiny spaceships right now." Leaving Shepard standing slackjawed, Naoki calmly strolled down the charred street, flinging energy bolts left and right.

"The arrogant bastard's even whistling..." she whispered, unaware that her comms picked up every word and broadcast them to both the System Alliance and to the Reapers who had easily hacked into the human communications network.

With a grimace, she pulled herself together and hurried to catch up to Naoki, determined to at least keep him out of enemy hands. A difficult job when Naoki seemed eager to tackle the largest group of husks on his way to the hangar.

KC:ADF

What Commander Jane Shepard did not know was that a certain teammate of hers was listening in on the comm channels. Kasumi Goto was a master thief who knew how to plan out a heist and cover her tracks. She did this with a combination of instinct, hacking, and misinformation.

Because of this, no one knew many details about her personal life, her past. Her name and appearance suggested an oriental background, but with today's plastic surgery technology appearances could be changed completely, for the right price. So it would surprise quite a few people to learn that her name and appearance were completely natural.

She had erased all connections to her life before becoming a thief, including her country of origin. However, part of being a thief is knowing the value of what you're trying to steal. Kasumi had studied the cultures of the galaxy, including humanity, learning what objects were considered valuable or of historical significance.

It was due to this background that she vaguely recognized the description of the 'high-priority asset' that Shepard was escorting. She wasn't sure, but she remembered references to the tattoos and horn, as well as that Megido thing that blew up a Reaper.

As she used her omnitool to interface with the local systems, she was unaware that a Reaper probe was tagging along on her search. What it found was...interesting, to say the least.


	7. Nocturne Arcana Part 1

Nocturne Arcana, 1

He landed, rather gracelessly at that, on top of what looked like a large stuffed animal. Picking himself up, he looked around in confusion at the odd world he found himself in. Composed of large collections of telephone poles, steel girders, and rusty pipes, everything seemed to be covered in a thick fog.

He strolled casually off into the fog, feeling the flows of energy moving through this place. It mostly swirled aimlessly, but in some places it seemed to funnel into specific points. Having nothing better to do, he decided to make for one of the energy points, seemingly centered behind a ruined husk of a department store.

Finding that the funnel of energy was a TV of all things was a little weird, even for his book. He placed a hand on the screen and felt a resistance. Pushing harder, he broke through a barrier of energy and emerged in what looked like a TV delivery truck. The door was still open so he stepped down.

The truck was in an alleyway so he just walked out onto a main street. It wasn't Tokyo or one of the districts, but he could already feel the presence of strange energies in this town. There was fun to be had, since he recognized at least one of the energies as that of a god.

KC:ADF

Teddy was confused, more so than usual. He had felt something land on him, but by the time he managed to get back up, the thing was gone. If it was a shadow it would have attacked him, but it felt really weird. It didn't feel like his world, and that made him bear-y scared.

KC:ADF

A gas station attendant, taking a quick break for lunch, jerked his head up as he felt _something_ appear in town. His current form was limited in some ways but this presence shined like a beacon to his other, inhuman senses. Something had come to Inaba, something he had not foreseen and could not identify. It almost felt like one of _them_ , but they were forbidden from coming here until the Conception.

The attendant was not omniscient but had seen no signs of that particular event approaching, and the signs were obvious to those who could recognize them. Even that long-nosed troll wouldn't mess with those forces, at least, not this early in the game.

Sighing softly, the attendant turned his attention back to his lunch. He had already set his plan in motion. This little bump in the road would hopefully resolve itself in time. If not, he would have to take direct action himself, and that would alert others to his schemes.

KC:ADF

Yu Narukami, recent transfer from Tokyo, felt a shiver go down his spine. He looked around but saw nothing more than his normal classroom. The bell rang and he stood up to head back to his uncle's house, but the short-haired girl with the green jacket stopped him.

 _'Nah, probably nothing...'_

Later on, while he was on the verge of falling asleep, Yu heard a voice whispering to him. The voice was unfamiliar, sounding like a teenage boy, but with a rough edge, almost like the voice's owner was growling as he spoke, but the words were crystal clear:

 **'Death's vastness holds no peace.**

 **I come at the end of the long road.**

 **Neither human nor demon...all bend to my will.'**

And as he closed his eyes and fell asleep, Yu Narukami knew those words were important in some way. They were not just the idle thoughts of a sleep-addled mind. Something was coming and he had no idea what it could be or who that voice belonged to.

KC:ADF

In the boundary between worlds, a limousine rolled along. Inside this limousine, a beautiful woman and a rather odd-looking older man sat in silence. Suddenly, the troll-like man's bloodshot eyes opened wide.

"It seems there has been an uninvited guest to our little adventure. I wonder what that one is doing here?"

The woman shuddered as she realized just what had found its way to Inaba. "Why is Lucifer's Wolf here, my master? This is not his time."

The man chuckled, unflappable as ever. "It will be interesting to see what he does, although we should speak with him soon, before he breaks the rules of this little game of ours."

The woman nodded, then gathered up a large book. "I will deliver an invitation to him, then. By your leave." The man just closed his eyes in unspoken approval.


	8. Get Off My Planet Part 3

Get Off My Planet, 3

Information passes through the Reaper communications networks almost instantaneously. As soon as the Reaper probe attached to Kasumi Goto's search program found the basic information on the humanoid entity destroying the Reaper ground forces, it replicated itself.

The human network was soon swarming with Reaper software, dedicated to copying all pieces of information and relaying it back to the main fleet. To Harbinger. Sending data packets without being detected would be impossible for any human or Council species, but the Reaper probes simply rode along with the multiple communication waves being sent from the various devices on Earth.

A strategy was quickly developed and manufactured, the Reapers not concerned with superstition but prepared for any eventuality. Organic life had evolved on many paths unknown to the targets of the current cycle.

Whatever this Demi-Fiend was, advanced human or hyper-evolved lifeform, it would not stop the cycle. Organic life would be preserved, as it had for countless cycles past.

KC:ADF

Naoki continued his stroll towards the hangar, partially aware that his little tagalong was following closely. Was she trying to watch his back or something? How sweet. He was also aware of how the alien squid ships were slowly moving closer. Even the blue zombies were starting to crowd him, though the big ones and the weird female ones were hanging back.

Maybe the aliens had actually came up with a plan? Hilarious, really. As he was, nothing on this planet could hurt him. Making his way to the hangar, he saw that none of the human defenders had survived. Squads of female aliens and huge hulking brutes were clustered in a large atrium. Looking down a main corridor, he saw a flash of metal and the letters SR-2.

A spaceship, perhaps? He noticed that Soldier Girl, as he had come to think of her, was staring hard a the ship. She must have told him her name at some point, but he honestly didn't care. A whistling noise interrupted his thoughts and a massive object plummeted down into the atrium.

Standing at over 100 meters easily, it was a smaller scale model of the big squid ships attacking outside. Smaller being relative. It stared down at him and a projection emanated from a cluster of eyes. "You are the entity called Demi-Fiend." A hologram of a large squid ship faced him. It had made a statement, not a question.

Something out there knew who he was.

KC:ADF

Shepard stared at the projection of what could only be Harbinger. She had heard that deep, inhuman voice so many times while fighting the Collectors. And it's words...Demi-Fiend, entity. So he wasn't an advanced biotic like she thought? Then what was he, if even the Reapers did not identify him as human?

She kept an eye on the husks gathered around the Destroyer-class Reaper and listened to their coversation.

KC:ADF

"So, who are you supposed to be? You know who I am, so obviously you know what I can do." Naoki easily stared down the hologram; he had looked Lucifer's full demon form in the eye without pissing himself, something that sissy Metatron wouldn't be able to manage. Some alien squid wasn't going to scare him.

He chuckled. "Are you planning on surrendering or something? I can't say I've ever been one for mercy." The hologram paused, and the various blue zombies all turned to look at him fully. Even Soldier Girl was giving him an odd look.

"I am Harbinger. You cannot stop us. You cannot prevent what will happen. The cycle will continue as it has for eternity. We are eternal. You cannot possibly comprehend even one of us." Naoki frowned at these words.

He stepped closer to the hologram. "I am the Demi-Fiend, the Hito-Shura. I defeated Kagatsuchi, the aspect of the Great Will. I have faced countless angels and demons. The gods of the Heavens and the barons of Hell submit to MY rule. I consumed the 24 demon spirits of Amala. I am the Wolf of Lucifer!" He snarled at the projection of Harbinger. "I don't care about any cycle. I don't need to comprehend you. I will just end you!"

The hologram seemed to study him a moment, then vanished. The Reaper ship started vibrating and a large cannon moved to focus on him. He strode forward, ignoring the calls of the human to run for cover. These aliens had pissed him off.

KC:ADF

Shepard could only watch in horror as the suicidal Naoki faced the main cannon of a Reaper. She couldn't wait any longer; she turned and ran back to a thick support column and ducked down. The blast, when it hit, made an odd thumping sound that reverberated through the column. She looked back when she heard a groan come from the other side of her cover.

Had she not been a soldier, had she not seen the horrors of battle and its aftermath, she would have vomited in her helmet.

Naoki's body was sliding down from being slammed into the support column. It looked charred in places, while a large portion of his chest was essentially _gone_. A wispy red mist was rising from his wounds, while his chest cavity...dear God was that his _heart_ beating? He let out a gasping breath and she realized he was still alive.

Hearing the hum of the Reaper's cannon charging, she grabbed him by the horn on his nape and dragged him behind the pillar. She felt an odd prick where her palm had scraped the sharp end of his horn, bu ignored it when she looked into his red eyes and knew that he was conscious.

He groaned and clenched his fists. "Ouch..." His voice was weak and she could see his hands trembling. "That. **Hurt**." His voice was stronger now, and she could only watch as he leaned against the column and somehow pulled himself up on his knees.

Shepard had been in many situations over the course of her career as a Spectre, but this was beyod anything she had seen before, beyond anything she could rationalize. Naoki, or Demi-Fiend or whatever his name was, was missing almost half his chest and he was trying to stand up.

That red mist she noticed earlier was gathering at the edges of his wound. Even as she watched, his bones, his organs, they were regenerating, albeit slowly. He finally stood straight and stared hard at Shepard. Looking into his eyes now, she wondered how she could ever have thought he was human. An animal intelligence, a feral rage was burning in his eyes.

He rested a hand on her armored shoulder, not saying a word but seeming to really acknowledge her for the first time since they met. He slowly limped back to stand in front of the Reaper. The surrounding husks had held back at first, but now they charged at him en mass. Even as the Reaper's main gun glowed with a white-hot light, he screamed out two words and slammed his fists into the ground.

" _ **GAEA RAGE!**_ "

And the world shook and burned around her.


	9. Irony Part 2

Irony, 2

Tony gasped for air, feeling the hot breeze through the cracks in his suit. The Avengers had been getting the snot kicked out of them by this demon kid for about an hour now. What made him curse inside his helmet was how the brat seemed to be toying with them. He just tossed them around the whole time without even really trying to hurt them.

Black Widow's bullets made little dime-sized bruises that just vanished after a few seconds. Even Cap's shield just seemed to create a bruise when it impacted his chest. Tony's repulsor blasts didn't even make him flinch. Hawkeye had about the same luck as Black Widow and had quickly switched to support, distracting this Demi-Fiend with flash-bang arrows that worked for a short period.

Problem was that even with him partially blind and deaf, nothing they had could put him down. He had spouted something about a better view and actually body-checked Captain America, sending him through the wall and then through the basement loading door used for ambulance maintenance.

They had followed and surrounded the kid as he slowed down in a back parking lot behind the hospital. It had just gone downhill after that. A harsh roar and the sound of massive feet impacting made him smile. His science buddy was here and evidently he was _pissed_. Nerd rage has nothing on the Hulk.

The others pulled back as the grumpy green giant faced off against the demon kid. The Demi-Fiend smiled as he craned his head up to look the Hulk in the eye. The Hulk evidently didn't like this, since he reared back a colossal fist and slammed it down on the kid's head.

A cloud of dust and debris erupted as the Demi-Fiend's body was buried in the asphalt. They all breathed a sigh of relief and waited for Banner to reign in his bigger half. A cracking sound made Tony groan as the Hulk tilted his head in curiousity. Something in the crater shifted, then a fist slammed into the Hulk's gut, sending him flying.

They all watched as the Demi-Fiend climbed out of the hole, cracking his neck and back. His body was covered in blue, red, and black bruises. Even as he chuckled and stood straight again, many of the bruises were fading away, leaving glowing green tattoos unmarred.

Tony was really feeling the pressure. What kind of monster could take a punch from the Hulk and brush it off as nothing? He really wished Thor was back from visiting Asgard. Somehow, the big blond lightning rod was comforting in how self-assured he was about everything. Unfortunately, he wasn't scheduled back for another six days.

The Demi-Fiend casually lifted up his left arm, red energy gathering in his hand. He grinned and that glowing sword from before phased into existence. He swept it forward, unleashing a wave of force that sent the Avengers flying and cleared away the remaining dust cloud. He spoke for the third time since they first arrived.

"In case you were thinking that your big green friend did some damage, let me make it abundantly clear: his blow didn't even register. When he hit me, the force of it shattered the pavement and I just got buried. In other words, if that was your best, then I'm not going to play anymore."

Saying this, he raised his sword again. It began glowing brighter, slowly turning an almost blinding yellow color. Tony knew, somehow he knew that this was it. He couldn't get his damaged suit to move fast enough to save himself and even if he could...could he leave the others? The Hulk was still down, while Cap, Widow, and Hawkeye were dazed from the first swing of the Demi-Fiend's blade.

He chuckled to himself. Beaten by some demonic teenager. What a way to go. A whistling noise made him look up even as the demon's sword started it's downward swing. He zeroed in on the approaching object. Well, look who's back early.

KC:ADF

Naoki was feeling disappointed; he had thought that these heroes, these Avengers, would pose more of a challenge. Even the big green one was no threat. Bullets, arrows, a shield...all physical attacks that impacted and did nothing. Those bluish beams of energy might have been more interesting if they hadn't been designed to deliver a physical impact.

Humans, even when aliens invade they never stop to think that maybe the old ways, the traditional ways, have merit. All myths had a true starting point, and not all legends were just legends. Hell, he had heard that a real Norse deity had shown up, and they just thought the guy was some sort of technologically advanced being.

Ah well, not his problem. When the other Powers That Be get involved in this world, all bets would be off. If it weren't for his time limit here, he might have stayed to watch the fireworks. Too bad, but he would educate these humans here and now. They would learn: there are some things that go bump in the night.

A whistling noise caught his attention, but he ignored it as he brought down the Heat Wave. He continued ignoring it right up to the point that a large object collided with his chest and sent him flat on his ass.

A hammer? Really? And that would make the very angry looking Norse deity marching up to him...Thor. Great, he had managed to tick off this world's version of his old demon ally from his dead world.

He stared up at the sky from his place on the ground and sent out a thought to the universe at large. _If it's the Great Will who's doing this, then I both applaud the irony of this situation and flip you off for messing with me. Your time will come, buddy. And if it's really the Old Man, when I get back, I am going to kick you in the balls so hard even your Demon Avatar will feel it._

Oh, yeah, someone would pay for this.


End file.
